The invention relates to devices for making so-called "rolled" cigarettes.
A cigarette rolling device which is already known comprises a case inside which two parallel rollers are arranged close to one another, and in which a continuous belt or band encircles the rollers and forms a groove or cradle between the rollers. The groove or cradle is intended to shape the tobacco in the form of a cylinder and the belt can be manipulated to roll a cigarette paper around this cylinder.
In the known machines of this type, one of the rollers is movable between two positions, one position being spaced from the other roller in order to form a wide slot for the introduction of tobacco into the groove, and the other position being close to the other roller to form a narrow slit for the introduction of a cigarette paper.
Rollers are generally used which have a diameter as large as the usual diameter of a finished cigarette, which means that these devices are cumbersome and thick, so that they are visible when carried in the user's pocket, and result in the said pockets losing their shape.
In use, difficulties are experienced with these known devices in manipulating the endless belt so as to form the cylinder of tobacco and roll a cigarette paper therearound, since this belt is caused to move by thumb movements on the generatrices of one of the rollers. For this reason a very small application surface is available on the belt, producing a feed movement which becomes less and less suitable for making a cigarette of uniform, regular shape.
Finally, the known machines are very often fairly complex to manufacture.
It is an object of the invention to avoid the disadvantages of the previous machines, in other words to provide a machine which is not very bulky, is very flat, can be handled easily, and is simple and easy to manufacture.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which can be used to make cigarettes of various diameters.